I have heard that if you plant those container mums you buy that they will come back the next year but I always thought that mums were annuals. Am I wrong about that? I always like to get a few pots for my porch or deck but they have to come in or be planted pretty quickly as we get cold weather or frosts early here.
Mine have been perennials almost to the point of staying green year round but then we don't get the winter weather you do there. But I would think that you could safely keep this years mums in their pot and take them inside somewhere for the winter. Then in the spring get them planted in the ground so they will have all spring and summer to grow and they should bloom for you next fall. In the fall after a frost but before a real freeze, pot them up and save until they can be planted in the ground again next spring. You could leave some in the ground for the winter to see if they will come back in the spring without special treatment.
Thanks Toni for the great advice. I can keep them down in my basement in pots. I really appreciate this. I love my mums. They are just so wonderful and colorful!
There are florist mums (not hardy) and hardy mums. I'm guessing you are Z5. If you have a cool protected area like a garge, that could work and keep watered as needed. I might suggest planting them so roots can get established and plants can go through normal cycle (some dormancy) Place a bag of leaves on them for a good insulator or mulch heavily. You are a bit further South than me (SW MI.) so your growing season is a bit longer, but I'm Z5 as well. If mums are in the ground soon enough to get established, many survive, but don't cut off dead growth as it works to insulate the plant. Research shows a 40% of survival when growth is left on for the winter months (esp the first year). Ron
